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Thanks all. I just realized on the app you can’t tell what board this is. I’m looking for vegetarian options (I think I posted on the veggie board)

Age: 51 Sex: Female. Location: Philadelphia, PA Single, but proud owner of Stormie the cat who generously allows me to feed her and change her litter box in exchange for the occasional cuddle. Major nerd. Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars, you name it. I'm a vegetarian with multiple food and medicine allergies. I can be a bit mouthy. I was the kid who the minute you told me I couldn't do something I had to go out and do it. That meant I was the fat kid who biked, skied, skateboarded, traveled the world, you name it. Being fat did not hold me back in the least. You could say I have a bit of a stubborn streak. I can take a licking and will get back up and keep fighting. I am also very much into fashion/makeup/clothes. I have a wonderful circle of friends as adventurous and crazy as I am.

Ta. We're hoping for a vegetarian/vegan spot where people could come and get info on healthy options. Its not that meat is bad or wrong or anything, but I would love to see promoted healthy veggies and fruit so that people can get as much healthy nutrition as possible. Lets face it: in America we get fries and fries and fries thrown at us. chips. Its time to pass on benefits of all types of options that aren't just that. Nuts and avocados are healthy fats and we need those. Nuts are high in Protein. I know my sister is working with her health coach on her problems and she talks about the salmon 3 times a week. She's more than tired of that and I want to see her with other options and different tastes so she doesn't get bored with it. I want the same for people here. There are those who have problems with different types of meat or the like and its more fun to have various options rather than a Protein Drink all the time.

I cooked all weekend, but the only vegetarian thing was a pot of split pea soup. I had mussels, chicken bratwerst and braised short ribs...The problem with going to Whole Foods is it makes me want to cook. Then I eat and it's a terrible cycle. I'm hungry like I don't know what and I can't seem to make it go away...I believe it's head hunger and I'm doing dumb shit like eating things I know I shouldn't (bread and sausage) then PBing. Who'd had thought 10 months later the head games would still continue? I'm thinking I need to go back to basics, write how hungry and full I feel when I eat and track it, but to become aware again. Well, Happy Monday everyone.

And BG, you vegan girl you, If you want some ideas, toss me a few ingredients and I'll toss you a recipe. Kind of fun. I used to run a vegetarian restaurant for years and years and part of what I did was cook...and it's a place known for soups so I have a bunch of soup recipes in my head...

Damn! Wow I give you soooooo much credit. I know I couldn’t do that diet. Not even for a day let alone 2 weeks. That has got to be the craziest diet. I can’t do it for a few reasons. I’m allergic to dairy and I’m a vegetarian.

but don't understand (the week when I was at 1000/day, I lost 2.5 lbs?? 1000 calories is still your weight loss calories. 2.5 loss is because your body needs more calories. See article below. https://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20140529/fast-weight-loss-may-mean-muscle-loss What are your fat percentages? I consume enough calories to build muscle mass. my body fat percentage is in the 19-24 zone. I'm athletic in the fit/lean zone. do you put any importance on this statistic to yourselves, personally?  I put importance on my goal of healthy. I don’t pay attention to my body fat percentage. Many of us lose muscle with rapid weight loss. There is a difference between a low body fat percentage with burnt muscle and with muscle mass. My personal experience after goal, I continued to exercise and not consume enough calories. The result was I burnt muscle and dropped to the 120’s. (not a healthy look for me) Here is the maintance meal plan off of the bariatric pal website: https://store.bariatricpal.com/pages/meal-plans-for-one-week-for-a-weight-loss-maintenance-diet Meal Plans for One Week for a Weight Loss Maintenance Diet Congratulations on getting to goal weight! Now your goal is to stay at this weight and prevent weight regain. This meal plan can help you do that. Sample Daily Pattern: 3 meals, 3 snacks Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 1 Breakfast Cheesy Garden Scramble with 2 large eggs, 1 ounce cheddar cheese, chives, 1 cup diced tomatoes, and ¼ cup avocado slices (350 calories, 22 grams protein) Morning Snack 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt with 1 cup raw vegetables (your choice, such as broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, celery, snow peas, etc.) (130 calories, 14 grams protein) Lunch BariatricPal Protein Soup – Broccoli and Cheddar with an extra 1 cup cooked chopped broccoli and 1 ounce shredded cheese;BariatricPal Lite Bites (360 calories, 33 grams protein) 1 ounce cheddar cheese (190 calories, 22 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 large apple plus 1 ounce walnuts (300 calories, 5 grams protein) Dinner Stuffed eggplant with 1 medium eggplant, 4 ounces ground turkey (or beef or soy crumbles), 1/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, Italian seasoning; 1 ounce mozzarella cheese melted on top; ½ cup tomato sauce (520 calories, 35 grams protein) Evening Snack Kay’s Naturals Protein Cookie Bites – Mocha Espresso (120 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1780 calories, 121 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 2 Breakfast BariatricPal Hot Protein Breakfast – Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal made with skim milk; 2 tablespoons peanut (or almond) butter (380 calories, 30 grams protein) Morning Snack Quest Nutrition Protein Bar – Cookies and Cream (180 calories, 21 grams protein) Lunch “Naked Burrito Bowl” with ½ cup nonfat refried beans, 3 ounces shredded chicken breast with taco seasoning, 1 cup shredded lettuce, ½ cup diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons salsa, ¼ cup guacamole (360 calories, 33 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 medium pear plus 1 ounce blue cheese (200 calories, 7 grams protein) Dinner 4 ounces broiled salmon with rosemary and lemon; ½ cup brown rice; 1 cup roasted bell pepper strips with 2 teaspoons olive oil (450 calories, 29 grams protein) Evening Snack BariatricPal Protein Desserts – Creamy Cheesecake (120 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1690 calories, 132 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 3 Breakfast Protein shake with 1 cup kale, ½ large banana, 1 container low-sugar nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, 1 cup skim milk (370 calories, 33 grams protein) Morning Snack 2 hard-boiled eggs (160 calories, 12 grams protein) Lunch Wrap on a low-carb, high-fiber tortilla spread with 2 tablespoons hummus; filling includes 3 ounces grilled chicken, 1 cup raw veggies (such as lettuce, sliced mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, etc.), 1 ounce shredded or sliced provolone cheese, 2 tablespoons sliced black olives (400 calories, 39 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 cup Greek yogurt with 1 cup blueberries and BariatricPal Cinnamon Crunch Protein Cereal (290 calories, 23 grams protein) Dinner BariatricPal Beef and Bean Enchilada; ¼ cup guacamole; 1 ounce cheddar or jack cheese; 2 cups lettuce and chopped vegetables (such as tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers); 2 tablespoons fat-free dressing (460 calories, 21 grams protein) Evening Snack Hot Cocoa with Marshmallows (80 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1760 calories, 143 calories Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 4 Breakfast Omelet made with 2 large eggs, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, fresh basil, and 1 ounce Swiss cheese (310 calories, 20 grams protein) Morning Snack ½ cup cottage cheese; 2 tablespoons sunflower seed kernels (170 calories, 16 grams protein) Lunch BariatricPal Beef Stroganoff; 1 cup grapes (360 calories, 21 grams protein) Afternoon Snack Turkey roll-ups with 3 ounces turkey breast spread with 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixed with ½ cup diced apple (290 calories, 18 grams protein) Dinner Veggie burger patty; 1 whole grain hamburger bun; 2 tablespoons hummus (spread on bun); 1 medium sweet potato baked into fries (baked with 2 teaspoons olive oil) (440 calories, 20 grams protein) Evening Snack BariatricPal Protein Oatmeal Cookie with Vanilla Drizzle (170 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1740 calories, 110 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 5 Breakfast BariatricPal 35g Protein Shake Meal Replacement – Strawberry (240 calories, 35 grams protein) Morning Snack 1 container vanilla Greek yogurt with Kay’s Naturals Protein Cereal – Honey Almond and ½ banana (290 calories, 26 grams protein) Lunch ¼ acorn squash baked with 2 teaspoons olive oil; ½ cup cooked quinoa mixed with ½ ounce chopped pistachios and 1 ounce parmesan cheese (390 calories, 16 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 cup carrots; 2 tablespoons peanut butter (240 calories, 8 grams protein) Dinner 4 ounces lean ground turkey topped with 1 ounce cheddar cheese; 1 cup cooked spinach; 1 medium apple (370 calories, 28 grams protein) Evening Snack BariatricPal Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Bar (160 calories, 12 grams protein) Totals: 1690 calories, 115 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 6 Breackfast BariatricPal Hot Protein Breakfast – Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal made with skim milk; 2 tablespoons chopped pecans (280 calories, 23 grams protein) Morning Snack 1 cheese stick (string cheese); ½ cup shelled edamame (green soybeans) (270 calories, 24 grams protein) Lunch BariatricPal Vegetable Lasagna; 1 ounce melted mozzarella; 1 cup cooked cauliflower or broccoli (340 calories, 20 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 ounce almonds; (290 calories, 18 grams protein) Dinner 1 cup chili made with garbanzo, pinto, and black beans, diced celery and onions, stewed tomatoes, and chili seasoning; ½ cup cooked barley; 1 cup roasted beet root (350 calories, 15 grams protein) Evening Snack Chocolate Chip with Chocolate Drizzle Cookie (170 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1700 calories, 115 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 1, Sample Day 7 Breakfast 1 container nonfat Greek yogurt; BariatricPal Protein Cereal – Cinnamon Vanilla; ½ cup honeydew melon (260 calories, 28 grams protein) Morning Snack 5 cup tuna with 1 serving Moon Cheese (160 calories, 25 grams protein) Lunch BariatricPal Protein Soup – Cream of Vegetable cooked with ½ cup pinto, kidney, or garbanzo beans and ½ cup mixed vegetables; Kay’s Natural Protein Chips – Crispy Parmesan (330 calories, 36 grams protein) Afternoon Snack 1 banana; 2 tablespoons peanut butter (300 calories, 8 grams protein) Dinner Dinner scramble with 1 cup tofu, 1 cup veggies, 1 ounce cashew pieces, and 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce stir-fried in 2 teaspoons sesame oil (420 calories, 17 grams protein) Evening Snack Chocolate Protein Wafers (200 calories, 15 grams protein) Totals: 1670 calories, 129 grams protein Sample Meal Plan for Week 2, Sample Day 1 Breakfast 1 packet BariatricPal Oatmealwith 2 tablespoons pecans and ½ cup diced apple plus cinnamon. Or other Healthy Breakfast Morning Snack Lunch BariatricPal Chocolate, Strawberry , or Vanilla Meal Replacementor other Healthy Lunch Afternoon Snack 1 bag Protein Chipsor Protein Pretzelswith two tablespoons hummus Dinner Cheese Steak Macaroni1 cup steamed green beans with 2 tablespoons sliced almonds or other Healthy Dinner Evening Snack Sample Meal Plan for Week 2, Sample Day 2 Breakfast Vegetable Omelettopped with 1 ounce shredded cheese, served and with 2 ounce turkey (or vegetarian) breakfast sausage links or other Healthy Breakfast Morning Snack Pancakes with Carbquik Baking Mixand 2 tablespoons of PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter Lunch Salad with fresh spinach leaves, 3 ounces grilled skinless chicken breast, 1 cup sliced strawberries, 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons light raspberry vinaigrette dressing or other Healthy Lunch Afternoon Snack or another flavor of Quest Protein Bar Dinner 4 ounces of broiled salmon, 1 cup baked sweet potato fries made with olive oil, and 1 cup of steamed broccoli or other Healthy Dinner Evening Snack Creamy CheeseCake This is a very low calorie diet. Use only under the supervision of your doctor. This diet gives you about 1200-1400 calories per day. You may need more calories, especially if you are a man, if you are a taller person, or if you are especially active.If you need more calories, you can add in extra snacks. Go for protein and nutrition! Here are some suggestions for healthy snacks. Each has 150 to 250 calories, and at least 10 grams of protein. 1 ounce Turkey Jerky plus ½ apple 1 BariatricPal 10 g Protein Bar 1 cup edamame (green soybeans) plus 1 ounce low-fat cheese 1 cup celery sticks plus 2 tablespoons peanut butter 1 package BariatricPal Protein Pretzels plus 2 tablespoons hummus

the link didn't work for me? Since LBT wasn't working eariler, I spent my morning on eBay. Lol. I'm selling my super fat clothes... and spending my prfits on things like a new Coach purse. haha. It was like 65F here today, probably warmer. I got all my windows opened at my apt... and was going to go ride my bike... But I had to realllly do laundry... and when I was done with that my med school friend wanted me to go study with her at Panera... Ugh. I had vegetarian garden soup, 3 bites of an apple, and water. I did get a couple chapters done in my ethics book though. Did I ever mention that I'm studying my RN by doing a 'self study' program. It's torture!!! I mis having lectures and assignments. Lol. ANYWAY... So a missed bycyling day for me... we'll see how the rest of the week goes. - BUT!!! I AM going to go to the gym in a few minutes. I seriously don't think I've been in the gym in like 2 months. No wonder I haven't lost any weight! I'd eat 2 gallons of ice cream a week and not exercise! It's a miracle I didn't GAIN weight! BTW - today makes 4 days ice cream free for me. And my bitch of a friend I was with today kept teasing me about going to COld Stone!! I told her I was going to bash her face into the sidewalk. :embaressed_smile: I'm so dainty. Seriously though... at this rate I think I am planning a birthday party for myself AT Cold Stone. Haha. Like it, Love it, Gotta have it!

Yeah I think this is totally do-able as a vegetarian. You just have to be smart about things. I do think it's harder to do vegan, but still possible. Lacto-ovo vegetarians would have the easiest time of it as do pescatarians.

My doctor said definitely no dairy also - i have having a VLCD (Very low calorie Diet) opti fast shakes and a vegetarian diet basically. The idea (my interpretation) is the get the maximum amount of fat removed form around your liver to ensure a safe passage to the doctor to fit the band. Not long to go, small sacrifice to make for a very long term gain. I am going through it to, 12 meals in to a 42 meal plan to prepare for surgery. Good luck, enjoy some tomato or eggplant with mushies...

Puja - where are you in India? I was in Mumbai, with a short trip to Delhi and Agra. 10 day trip in total. To answer your questions, well, I took some Pure Protein Bars with me, and ate one per day. I also ate eggs for Breakfast. I'm pretty sure that some days I was below my Protein still, because there were a couple of meals at a friend's house that were vegetarian. I ate chickpeas and lentils those meals, but those aren't as protein rich as meat, I think. I tried to focus on protein as much as possible, and ate veggies like cauliflower when it was available. Like I said before, I still had rotis and rice and stuff, but just small helpings to tone down the spiciness. When it was available (it wasn't always served) I used raita to tone down the heat. I'm also pretty sure that my calorie counts were above normal (but apparently not more than I burn, maybe 1500-1700), especially the days I ate Butter chicken (YUM!). But I didn't really have a way to log it, and it was just 10 days, so I just listened to my sleeve about when it was full, and hoped that would be enough. I actually wasn't sure if I would lose weight or just hold steady while I was there, but I ended up losing, so that was great. It was a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, and I love Indian food, so I just decided I wasn't going to worry about it. The only time I really had a moment of regret was when I was eating some fabulous butter chicken, and wanted to eat more, but I just savored it as much as I could and then stopped when I got full. likasulema - good luck on your weight loss! I'm sure you'll be able to fit without a seat extender on your next trip. Its the little NSV's like that that really make a difference.

I made lentils last night from reading this! I am a vegetarian, so I gotta get in the Protein where I may. I cooked them with onion, raisins, TVP for extra protein and moroccan spices... yum!

Yeah it was at work. Our big boss is leaving so we had a shindig. I have never seen so much food at once lol. It was like OCB times 10000. I think the vegetarian thing hhelped since there were a lot of meat dishes that I wold not touch. It was ymmy though.

Hi all! I'm two nutrition visits and a psych eval away from submitting for insurance approval! I'm super excited for this surgery and hopefully to have the outside match the inside! I'm really nervous about getting approval. My highest weight was 330 but then went vegetarian and was at 290 and had my gallbladder out and my surgeon suggested I look at WLS. I'm starting the pre-op diet early that consists of 1200 calories a day so I can lose more weight before the surgery. My surgeon said hopefully we'll have a July/August date. Fingers crossed! Looking forward to getting to know everyone and sharing this journey with you all.

I am with you Sherrie, I wont be able to eat Thanksgiving dinner either. But, I am a vegetarian, so I really wont be missing out on too much! Good luck to you!

Gee, that long before being able to handle meat is a downer. On the other hand, there are so many other sources of healthy Protein. Four weeks out and just starting to get use to Lactaid brand cottage cheese. When it comes time to move to pureed foods, I'll probably be supplementing protein levels with flavorless Isopure low carb. Having worked with vegetarians of different types and vegans, protein intake can depend on calorie intake. That can be a struggle for someone on a calorie restricted diet. It would seem that a lacto-ovo vegetarian would have it easier since they can consume eggs and whey protein. Vegan dependence on tofu, soy products, and Beans can be a challenge, but it can be done and there are plenty of vegan products out there: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/10-best-tasting-vegan-protein-powders.html The link is not an endorsement of any particular website.

I three years I have given up chicken, veal, pork, turkey, steak, burgers, seafood, Pasta, bread, toast, bagels, sandwiches, wraps,all cold cuts, pizza, chinese food, no hot dogs at a stadium or sausages. I CAN eat sashimi, seared foie gras, steak tartare, most fish if in a sauce and undercooked ( not salmon unless raw or sushi grade). Very crusty French bread, crackers, good hard cheeses, brie etc. Some Indian and Tai food that is unhealthy so I kinda avoid it. I can eat berries, watermelon, canteloup, honey dew but not fresh pineapple or apples or oranges. I can eat Mexican but without the soft taco or burrito...just the insides. I can eat fish tacos but again without the "wrapping". Can eat vegetarian tortilla Soup anywhere and CPK 1/2 order chopped barbecue salad with lots of dressing so it's pretty unhealthy. I consider Qdobo, Calif. Pizza Kitchen etc. like fast food places so it is rare that I eat there or take out from them. I can eat Wendy's $.99 chile in a pinch. With me it has always been a texture type thing with foods working or not working and not my chewing them up. Crispy but not fried will work. Chilean Sea Bass always works as does Sole, Flounder and Red Snapper. I don't feel that I miss anything and no one knows that I am banded. I eat all over the world but order what I know I can eat. I love Mediterrean Fish Soup that I lived on when we were in Nice in December. No one was the wiser either. BAD NEWS---all candy, ice cream, cheesecake, gelato, and most cake like brownies never gets stuck as do all the bad snack chips. I buy everything in the 100 calorie sizes and do treat myself to them on a regular basis however, I only eat one bag and not all the bags. If I opened and purchased a big bag I would be a dead duck. I have bought regular size and measured and made my own snack size but I cheat when I can open the Zip Lock bag too easily. I have thrown away all kinds of things that my husband has brought into the house such as donuts which get STUCK and are just not a food group to be eaten. I have found for ME that the band just doesn't do the work. I have to make the RIGHT FOOD choices daily or I can gain weight. I know that there are others who can eat everything and lose. I wasn't a high BMI but I do exercise daily too. It is a struggle to maintain and hopefully get to my unrealistic goal!!!!!!! BTW, I eat a ZONE bar every day for Breakfast and travel with them in my pocket book everywhere. I also carry the Crystal Light individual packets to for Water bottles. I know that my eating habits may not be your norm but it works for me since you asked!

I don't know if coffee is breaking a band rule. My surgeon allows coffee, which I drink every day! I'm a vegetarian. So, I need certain nutrients that people normally get from eating animal Proteins. So, I do eat small quantities of nuts like pecans or walnuts. I've found that they are ok if broken into very small pieces. last night I ate bread for the first time since surgery. I ate one slice of double-Fiber whole wheat bread. I made a BLT, using soy bacon, and raw spinach in place of lettuce for added nutrition. First bite almost got stuck. So, w/the rest I chewed, chewed, and over-chewed. The rest of the 1/2 sandwich filled me up. I'd been craving a sandwich for so long! I also eat brown rice and some seeds like flax and such. I am the only veg*n my surgeon has ever dealt with. So, he told me to be careful and use trial and error to find what works for me.

And I am reporting, in. Had to postpone until yesterday, had to not see the Head Nurse-Practioner Valerie but Shannon. Valerie also does the entrance visits for new people, they must have a big crop because she had nothing available until July. Shannon is pretty okay, not quite as grounded and sure of herself. Oohed and ahhed about my weight loss. Said my stomach ouch is not inflamed at the endiscopy, the stoma although still very small is patent. That means things should start moving down better. Then we come to my ulcers, they are still there in the jejumen, New theory , they have a narrowed the lumen(width) to such an extent that stuff isn't digesting well until you get to the point where stomach remaining secretions, bile and pancreatic juices get reintroduced downstream. So I will,have another endoscopy late June or into July, if thi,ngs are worse or even the same 8-to-5 chance I will require surgery. Usually by 6-8 months you're healed. And no, they didn't expect it, no way of guessing I will. have this problem. Stay on same level of diet, try to get protein more, vegan/ vegetarian okay if I still am having trouble with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and most meats. High Protein levels will help me heal, be sure to take all meds and. minerals to keep a healthy basis in case of possible surgery. And she thinks I look great, I think still I look like Road Kill! But maybe I am over- critical with myself.

So I've been making my way through the various plant-based docs on Netflix (favorite is Forks Over Knives, least favorite is What the Health although it wasn't terrible) and I came across one called Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead. The filmmaker is Joe Cross, who I saw in another documentary as a plant-based person, so I looked him up and found the film. To give a short summary he decides to undertake a 60-day juice fast (with medical supervision) so basically eating exclusively fruits and vegetables in juice form - I can't recall if he said whether he added any of the pulp/fiber back in or if it was exclusively juice. Then after his fast he gives the impression that he went on a plant-based diet. He lost about 90 lbs in less than a year, doing a "reboot" juice fast every so often, and started traveling to promote this way of living. Now I'm personally not into juicing especially if the fiber is left out. So I didn't decide to do juicing or follow his journey or anything. However, I thought it was a decent documentary and promoted fruit & veggies so I was like, "Cool," and moved on with my life. Then Netflix recommended the sequel film, Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead 2. So I started watching it. Well... he stated that at the end of his juice fast he had lost 90 pounds to be about 220. He's 6'2 so that's a BMI of 28. Not bad for coming from being 310 lbs. However then he said he has gone up to 240 and fluctuates between 240 and 250. That's a BMI of 30.8 to 32.1 so basically he is obese now. He said 40% of his calories come from fruit and vegetables which I thought was kinda low, but maybe he eats a lot of grains or whatever.... and then he hit me with the big one that he eats animal protein for dinner every night! To my mind this is kind of crazy to call yourself plant-based and then eat meat not just occasionally but every night for supper. I feel like he is kind of riding the trend of plant-based/veganism while sort of hiding the fact that he's still eating meat. I mean I definitely left the first documentary with the impression he was fully plant-based/vegan. And it really got me wondering if this is why his weight is still so high and he has to constantly be going on these "reboot" juice fasts to lose weight again. I wonder what would happen if he just cut out the meat and ate plant-based all the time, if his weight would go back down and he wouldn't have to reboot. I know he travels a lot which can do crazy things to your body, sleep, water retention, etc. But Dr. Greger also travels all over the place doing talks, etc. And Dr. Greger admits his diet when traveling isn't always ideal - he said sometimes when traveling he only hits 25% of the daily dozen recommendation - but he does eat only plant-based and stays healthy despite a crazy travel schedule. So what do you think? Have you seen this movie or the sequel? Do you think if you eat meat every night you are still plant-based? (This doesn't count vegetarianism because this forum is also for vegetarians, not just vegans, so I am referring only to meat here.) Would you rather eat meat and have to juice fast, or just cut the meat and eat mostly plant-based all the time for the same results?

Vegetarian here. I do a lot of eggs, greek yogurt, cheese, nuts and beans. I occasionally do tofu & edamame. I also eat whole grains like quinoa & farro. I then supplement with unflavored protein powder that can be added to soups as well as used in the protein shakes. I avg about 80 gms of protein a day.

Please feel free to include me in this. I know there aren't many who are trying to eat as natural as possible and/or are vegetarians.

Would you all be interested in a forum where you could discuss vegetarian and vegan options without any pressure? We'd of course have an emphasis on getting in as much B12, Protein, etc. as possible but without the pressure thrown at us to have meat. I know I felt uncomfortable with my surgeon who always pushed those things or just Beans at me when I couldn't do them.

Ms.S, I do a lot of my own cooking. My husband cooks for himself most of the time because we eat so differently, and I cook for him once in a while. Cooking can be fun, and you don't have to make a big meal or sometimes I make enough to have left overs for lunch or dinner the next day. (Then I dont have to cook then!) I make stir fry, non pasta lasagnas (using stips of yellow squash). When its hot, I just make it on the stovetop in an iron skillet... in winter I turn on the oven. It tastes so good! I am a vegetarian, and really, if your not eating a lot of pasta, bread and carbs, then it makes it hard to eat out or get stuff to go. I have to cook if its going to be healthy, at least most of the time. I have found a couple of websites and cook books that get me going in the right direction, and really, I make the same things for weeks on end, then switch to something else if I get tired of it. Salads, soups, stir fry, layered skillet casserols, crock pot dishes....oatmeal based dishes (sweet or savory) I also have snacks around that wont kill my diet... walnuts, genisoy crackers and a variety of cheeses... pickles... I just made Yuba (soy skin) BBQ ribs... they are pretty dry, like jerkey, and high in protein, veggie, and a great snack. They are as close to junk food as you can get without being junky! I just pop them in a lidded jar and have one when I really want something not so good for me. Even if you just cook once a week, and eat from that, with planing it really works well. Make it fun, a new hobby!

I agree with @KateP. Additionally, some of us have food allergies that prevent us from using the things you just mentioned. I, for example, have an appointment to speak with my Dietitian about the massive food allergy list that I just got. In checking the labels of processed foods, ALL of them either have something that I'm allergic to in them (eg: tomatoes, bell peppers, onions), or are processed in factories using things I'm allergic too (eg: tree nuts, peanuts, legumes). So, while what you are saying sounds *great*, and it's what I want to do so very much, it's not possible for me and some others to do. Also .. salads ... I miss them. Oh my do I miss them. Sure, I can have cabbage, spinach, and kale ... but they aren't the same as a nice romaine lettuce. Considering that I'm allergic t most other things that go IN a salad (cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes (again), and bell peppers (again), it's not as satisfying. So, without going into the entire list of things I'm allergic to, what do you do with patients like me who can only safely consume meats, *some* fish, and poultry? I used to be a vegetarian. Now .. with these new allergies, I'm forced to be a carnivore ... and I'm GAINING again. Not to mention the pain in my joints and feet that I didn't have when I was on a vegetable based diet.